A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CHAIR

The National Park Foundation (NPF) continued to deliver significant impact to parks all over the country this year, helping to ensure America’s national parks thrive now and in the future.

As usual, the Foundation did not do it alone, and that continues to make all the difference. The impact the National Park Foundation and partners are making possible in parks across the country is impressive and inspiring.

Last year, the Foundation’s close alignment with the National Park Service, active engagement with park partners, and the tremendous generosity of donors helped to connect more than 184,000 students to parks and ensured that more than 900 miles of park trails were maintained to enhance visitor experience. The Foundation and partners modernized campgrounds and trails at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, making them more accessible to all. Visitors to Badlands National Park can look forward to a new state of the art visitor center that will feature opportunities to learn about the history, culture, and heritage of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Lakota People.

The Foundation is helping keep national parks wild and resilient, investing in restoration of native wildlife and habitat. From Yellowstone to Denali and Everglades to Pinnacles, Foundationfunded efforts to study, protect, and restore some of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the country are supporting the long-term health of natural landscapes and wildlife, including bison, gopher tortoises, monarch butterflies, wolves, bald eagles, cutthroat trout, and California condors.

Underscoring its commitment to bringing history to life in parks, the Foundation and partners celebrated the grand opening of Pullman National Monument, Chicago’s first national park site. Lead gifts from the Pritzker Traubert Foundation and other donors laid the groundwork for success. Local partners, including the Chicago Neighborhood Initiative, the Historic Pullman Foundation, the State of Illinois, and the National Park Service stepped up to provide critical investment and expertise to ensure Pullman’s rich history is preserved and a fuller story is told.

Taken as a whole, Pullman National Monument tells the story of American opportunity, trial, and triumph. It is the story of industrialization in America’s heartland, one of the nation’s first planned communities, and the inspiring story of Pullman porters who championed an emerging labor and civil rights movement.

The Foundation expanded its investment in service corps programs last year. NPF-supported crews contributed nearly 60,000 hours of service at more than 50 national parks. Crew members restored natural habitat, improved trails, planted trees, and were trained to fight wildfires.

The Foundation’s impact in the parks has a direct connection to the funds NPF is able to raise. In 2021, the Foundation exceeded its goals by raising more than $128 million in total revenue, thanks to donations from individuals, families, foundations, and corporations. Special gratitude goes to the hard-working staff and dedicated board and national council for their ongoing support.

Finally, the Foundation welcomes National Park Service Director Chuck Sams and looks forward to to a long and strong partnership with him and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. Investing in the future of parks, enhancing visitor experience, bringing innovative solutions to address the impacts of climate change in parks, and advancing equity, inclusion, and access in parks are priorities shared by the National Park Foundation and the park partner community. bison, gopher tortoises, monarch butterflies, wolves, bald eagles, cutthroat trout, and California condors.”

With energy and anticipation, the Foundation’s leadership and staff look forward to continuing our work to protect America’s national parks, and to inspire all people to connect with and protect the places that belong to us all.

The National Park Foundation’s ability to support the parks is greatly enhanced when its partners succeed. That’s why a big focus of the Foundation’s work is to increase the capacity of our park partners. This year, that manifested in more than 50 grants to partners across the country designed to meet their growing needs to impact parks throughout the park system.

This work with local Friends Groups and other partners is fundamental to our collective success in both impacting the parks and visitors’ experience as well as making national parks a philanthropic priority.

Will Shafroth President & CEO National Park Foundation

L. James Chair National Park Foundation